Landlord & Tenant Law: A True or False Test

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If the rental property contains 6 or more family dwellings, the landlord is required to keep the deposit in a New York interest bearing bank account. - True or False?

Additionally, the landlord may not mingle deposit funds with personal funds and shall provide tenants with the name and address of the banking organization in which the deposit of security money is made, and the amount of such deposit.

Landlords are responsible for recycling - True or False?

Under the recycling laws, landlords have four responsibilities. They must:

Provide a storage area for recyclables.

Post and maintain signs indicating which materials must be recycled. The signs should also indicate that tenants MUST separate their recyclables into mixed paper/cardboard, plastic/glass/metal.

Put recyclables in special receptacles.

Remove any non-recyclable material from recycling cans.

Recycling rules are detailed on the NYC Dept. of Sanitation website. If you are a landlord and you’re receiving fines because the tenants are not properly sorting their trash, you should make sure that the tenants are aware of the provisions of the law. Put up good signs and distribute brochures indicating exactly which materials must be recycled and what containers the recyclables go in. The Department of Sanitation (DOS) will supply you with signs. You can visit their web site or call 311 for more information.

In New York, a small landlord can represent himself in Housing Court. True or False?

However, there may be risks involved. Landlord/tenant laws in New York are among the most complex in the nation. While you may have grounds to evict a tenant, you may be unaware of the various notice and service requirements which are needed to secure an eviction. Some owners who proceed without a lawyer find themselves hiring a lawyer after a few failed attempts.

In New York, a landlord can enter a tenant’s apartment at any time - True or False?

In New York state, if a stabilized building was converted from 6 to 5 units - existing tenants can still get a renewal lease that is rent regulated - True or False?

In general, if the owner converted a six or more unit building to one with five or fewer units, the tenants in occupancy remain under rent regulation. For more information, contact DHCRor book your free consultation with us to discuss your specific situation.

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Tenants may withhold rent or exercise the right to “repair and deduct” if a landlord fails to take care of important repairs, such as a broken heater - True or False?

New Jersey tenants are legally entitled to rental property that meets basic structural, health, and safety standards and is in good repair. If a landlord fails to take care of important maintenance, such as a leaky roof or a broken heater, you have several important legal rights, including:

the right to withhold rent until repairs are made, and

the right to “repair and deduct”—that is, to hire a repairperson to fix a serious defect that makes a unit unfit (or buy a replacement part or item and do it yourself) and deduct the cost from your rent.

If you don’t pay rent when it is due, the landlord may begin charging you a late fee - True or False?

Under New Jersey law, landlords must wait five days before charging a late fee, but only when the premises are rented or leased by senior citizens receiving specified benefits, such as Social Security, or by recipients of other specified government benefits, such as Social Security Disability.

A tenant has 30 days to pay overdue rent or move before a landlord can file for eviction -True or False?

The interest rate of security deposits in Connecticut was 4% in 1973 and is .8% in 2016.

If there is no written lease, the landlord and tenant may agree upon terms orally - True or False?

An oral lease, like a written lease, must be followed by both parties; however, an oral lease is more difficult to enforce in court and its items are more difficult to prove because it comes down to one person’s word against another’s.

Connecticut law says that if your town or city tells you to get out of your apartment because code violations or a fire have made it unfit to live in, the town has to help you find another place to stay - True or False?